The true value of water is realized only when there is lack of it. It’s also why it is often taken for granted. Water is so much a part of our everyday lives that the concept of not having it is too overwhelming.

Unfortunately, this was once a way of life that Metro Manila residents faced every day. Before 1997, the capital’s water supply and distribution were in disarray. Illegal connections ran rampant. Clean and potable water was a privilege that poor families simply did not have, and that others had to acquire at a steep price.

In 1995, this situation prompted the Philippine government to enact the National Water Crisis Act, which paved the way for the turnover of the operation of water services from the government-owned Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to the private sector.

Ayala-led Manila Water Company took over the East Zone of Metro Manila under a Concession Agreement that granted the company exclusive rights to the use of land and facilities for the production, treatment and distribution of water, as well as the rights to operate the sewerage system.

The Triple Bottomline:

Business Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Environmental Advocacy

Manila Water Company, Inc. is the exclusive provider of water and wastewater services to more than six million people in the East Zone of Metro Manila, comprising a broad range of residential, commercial and industrial customers.

The East Zone encompasses 23 cities and municipalities spanning a 1,400-square kilometer area that includes Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, portions of Manila, as well as the following towns in Rizal: Angono, Antipolo, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jala-Jala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay and Teresa.

Before Manila Water’s entry in the water industry in 1997, the East Zone suffered from various problems such as insufficient infrastructure and environmental deterioration, accelerated by rapid population increase. 24-hour water supply was only available to 26 percent of the area’s population mainly due to leakages often caused by meter tampering and illegal connections — practices which caused a domino effect of problems including water contamination and water-borne diseases. Water system losses or non-revenue water (NRW) was at a record high of 63 percent at the time.

Under these circumstances, Manila Water prioritized water supply efficiency to deliver more water to more customers. This was supplemented by improvements in the organizational structure, development of its workforce, and rehabilitation of facilities. The remarkable results are as follows:

·Improvement in 24-hour potable water supply coverage from 26% in 1997 to 99% in 2014

·Doubling the number of customers from 3.1 million in 1997 to over 6.3 million in 2014

·Expansion of water mains and distribution lines with over 5,000 kilometers of pipes, replacing nearly 90% of the water network

·Reduction in water losses or NRW from 63% in 1997 to 11% in 2014, an unprecedented feat in the history of the Philippine

water sector

·Increase in the volume of water delivered to customers from 440 million liters to over 1.2 billion liters per day

·Consistent 100% compliance to the water quality standards of the Department of Health and the Philippine National Standards

for Drinking Water

Manila Water's rehabilitation program was also driven by a single principle: care for the customer. The company divided the East Zone into business areas, assigning Territory Managers and Customer Care specialists for each. The company maintains its close ties to its customers by establishing partners among community and barangay leaders called kasanggas.

Today, of over 6 million residents served in the East Zone, 1.8 million or more than half come from marginalized communities by way of the company’s flagship program, Tubig Para Sa Barangay (TPSB) or Water For The Poor. TPSB enabled low-income communities to have continuous and reliable access to water. Assisted by both government and non-government organizations, the company eased land title requirements and provided them affordable and potable water supply.

As it expands its horizon, Manila Water takes on a challenge bigger than the supply of clean water – the provision and expansion of sewerage services.

Manila Water takes on a holistic approach to attaining sustainability by placing environmental initiatives at the forefront, starting with the preservation of valuable water resources and proper disposal of treated wastewater back to rivers and waterways to support aquatic life.

To date, Manila Water has achieved the following in terms of wastewater or “used water” management:

·Most extensive sanitation or septic tank desludging program in the country with 50 desludging trucks and two septage

treatment plants in operation, one of which is the largest septage treatment facility in Asiatreatment plants in operation, one of

which is the largest septage treatment facility in Asia

·Leading sewerage operator in the country with 39 sewage treatment plants that consistently comply with the effluent

standards and regulatory requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Laguna Lake

In line with the Clean Water Act of the Philippines and the Supreme Court ruling which orders various government agencies to coordinate for the clean-up and revival of Manila Bay, Manila Water is implementing an aggressive and accelerated program called the Three-River Master Plan that aims 100 percent sewerage coverage and targets to restore the water quality of the three major river systems in Metro Manila — the Pasig, San Juan and Marikina Rivers.

Extending its success in delivering water and wastewater services in the East Zone, Manila Water is expanding its operations by establishing water and wastewater service partnerships in Boracay, Clark Freeport Zone (Pampanga), Cebu, and Laguna in the Philippines, as well as international ventures in Vietnam and Myanmar.

After 18 years of service, Manila Water remains dedicated to its customers and the environment, as it gears towards a sustainable future for everyone.

​The true value of water is realized only when there is lack of it. It’s also why this is often taken for granted; water is so much a part of our everyday lives that the concept of not having it is too overwhelming.

Unfortunately, this was once a way of life that Metro Manila residents faced everyday.Before 1997, the capital’s water supply and distribution was in disarray. Communal water sources were shared by hundreds of families who had to line up for hours just to get a few pails for the day’s use. Illegal connections ran rampant, draining these water sources even more. Clean and potable water was a luxury which poor families simply did not have, and that others had to acquire at a steep price. Needless to say, the morale was low among Metro Manila’s residents.

In 1995, this situation prompted the Philippine government to enact the National Water Crisis Act, which turned over the operation of water services from the government-owned Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to the private sector. The Ayala-led Manila Water Company took over the East Zone of Metro Manila, 40% of the capital city, under a 25-year concession agreement; this granted the company exclusive rights to the use of land and facilities for the production, treatment and distribution of water, as well as the rights to operate the sewerage system.

By accepting this task, Manila Water took upon itself the responsibility of making millions of lives better.

Business Sustainability

Manila Water formally took over operations for the East Zone in 1997. This is comprised by Pasig, Taguig, Pateros, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Marikina, parts of Quezon City and Manila, and the province of Rizal. All of these areas suffered from crippling water loss problems, and resorted to buying water from sources that charged ten to twenty times more than the normal cost.

Manila Water began its rehabilitation plan by connecting these areas effectively. Water pipes were added and repaired, and illegal connections were thoroughly acted upon and remedied. A laboratory was established to ensure that the water delivered is consistently clean and drinkable straight out of the tap.Reservoirs were improved upon to ensure that water will be available in case of emergencies.

Sewer lines and wastewater operations increased and was subsequently treated and rehabilitated. As water connections improved, so did the stability of the business; and this allowed the company to offer its water and wastewater services to areas outside Metro Manila. Now, Manila Water has established water and wastewater service partnerships in Laguna, Pampanga, Boracay and Cebu, as well as international ventures in Vietnam and Myanmar. The company is now internationally recognized through its corporate governance efforts as well as its business stability, as a proud example of success through the Filipino values of diligence and ingenuity.

Social Responsibility

Manila Water's rehabilitation program was driven by a single principle: care for the customer. The company divided the East Zone into business areas, assigning Territory Managers and Customer Care specialists for each. Its sole purpose is to understand the customer's water concerns and to respond to these directly and efficiently.

Of the over 6 million residents served in the East Zone, 1.8 million come from impoverished families who cannot apply for water connections simply because they have no land they can call their own. To address this, Manila Water established the Tubig Para Sa Barangay (TPSB) program in 1998. Assisted by both government and non-government organizations, the company eased land title requirements for these communities, and provided them water services that are a third of the normal cost. For the first time, these families could go about their lives without worrying about water ever again.

Manila Water sustained this effort by establishing partners, or kasanggas, among community and barangay leaders.By empowering these stakeholders as being directly responsible for the welfare of their community, key issues like sanitation, health, and livelihood due to water supply were discussed and tackled decisively. A memorable example was 2009’s Typhoon Ondoy disaster, where Manila Water and their kasanggas braved the storm to save lives and provided potable water to its victims almost immediately.

Advocacy for the Environment

Before Manila Water took over, a lesser-recognized, yet equally important victim suffered as well; the environment. With only 3 percent of homes connected to sewers, wastewater from toilets, sinks, and waterways had only two places to go: poorly-maintained residential septic tanks, or Metro Manila’s rivers and bodies of water.

The company acted quickly to counter these environmental threats. Wastewater treatment plants were built and established among Metro Manila’s riverbanks and crucial areas, where this water would be treated and returned to the rivers clean and capable of supporting marine life. Septic tank desludging was introduced as a service to customers, allowing them to proactively schedule accordingly. The Lakbayantour, a free walking tour of the company’s water and wastewater sites, allows anyone to single-handedly experience how the environment is key to the company’s efforts.

In 2012, the Toka Toka campaign is launched, the first-ever wastewater campaign in the country. This aims to get people directly involved in preserving the environment by doing its own part in waste segregation, and preventing this waste from reaching the rivers. This movement will be supported government, non-government, and private organizations, making it one of the biggest environmental campaigns ever.

After 17 years of service, Manila Water remains dedicated to its customers and the environment, as it gears toward a clean, clear, and sustainable future for everyone.